Internal-combustion engine.



K. STEINBEOKER.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25,- 1912.

Fig.4.

2'7 wltnessesz 22 Inventor.

7A I 3 Karl SbsjnbeoKer'.

superior to the compression pressure.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTRIC COMPANY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1913.

Application filed May 25, 1912. Serial No. 699,684.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, KARL S'i'EmBEoKER, a subject of the King of Prussia, residing at Charlottenburg, Germany, certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification. 7

The present invention relates to means for actuating the fuel admission valve or Valves of internal combustion engines, and in particular to that type of engine wherein the fuel is injected by gas under pressure into a highly compressed and heated body of air in the working: cylinder, the temperature of said air being sufficiently high to cause the fuel to ignite.

The object of my'invention is to improve the constructidn and operation of such fuel valves and the means for actuating them.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel, and. my invention, attention is di rected to "the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates embodiments of my invention, Figure 1 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of an internal combustion engine of the constant pressure type; Fig. 2 is a view chiefly in section of the fuel admitting means and the actuator therefor; Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3- 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a scctiontakenon line H of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a modification; and Fig. 6 is a section taken'on line 6+6 of Fig. 7

1 indicates a. cylinder having open ends with a guide 2 at one end for the cross-head of the upper piston in the caseof a vertical engine or the outer piston in case of a horizontal engine. In the cylinder is a'row of exhaust ports 3 and a row of ports 4 for ad initting air for scavenging purposes. cated within the cylinder are two oppositely moving pisloips 5 and 6 between which a charge of relatively pure air is compressed on the inward strokes of the pistons until it is heated to a temperature sufficiently high to lire the charge-0f oil or other fuelwhen admitted by the valve means to be described later. Between the pistons is a combustion chamber 7 in which the air receivedv from the ports 4 is compressed and into which thecharge of fuel 18 injected under a pressure The have invented pistons as they move to and fro control the air and exhaust ports 3 and 4. For'siinplicity I have omitted the casings that surround said ports in the actual structure.

8 indicates the main shaft having three cranks, the inner one being connected to the piston 6 by a connecting rod 9 and the outer ones to the cross-head or member 10 of the upper piston by the connecting" rods 11 and 12. The cross-head is provided with sliding parts 13 that engage the guides 2.

Fuel is admitted to the combustion chamher by a valve that is contained in the cars ing 14. The valve is actuated by an oscil lating rod 15 that! extends parallel with the cylinder. On the upper end of the rod is an arm 16 by Which it is oscillated by a device such as'a Wedge or cam 17 carried by the cross-head .10.

Referring to Fig. 2, 18 indicates the needle valve for controlling the admission of fuel to the combustion space 7. The valve is carried by two united pistons I9 and .20 that are contained in the casing 14% he valve is actuated by the rocking or oscillating rod 15 that carries a crank pin 21 at its lower end, said crank pin bein located between the opposite heads of pistons 19 and 20. The crank pin does not entirely fill the space between the heads so that a certain amount of lost motion is provided. In other words, the actuator 15 is connected to the valve through a lost-motion connection. The piston 19 is provided with an enlarged flange or head and between it 'and an internal shoulder formed in the casing is a coiled compression spring 22 that tends at all times to open the fuel valve 18. Fuel under pressure is admitted to the side of 25 when the valve 18 is opened that causes the fuel to be injected into the combustion space. Since the air pressure in th conduit 2a is relatively high, it is desirable to largely balance the pressures on the pistons 19 and 20 so that the force required to open the valve 18 will be reduced. To this end the valve casing by the conduit 23, said con-' passages 26 are provided that connect the opposite sides of the piston 19. Through piston 20 are passages 27, shown in dotted lines, which serve to convey and direct the compressed air from the conduit 24 into the chamber 25, and also serve as equalizers to substantially balance said piston. When the valve 18 is on its seat it is unbalanced and the pressure tends to hold the valve closed. This unbalanced pressure is equal to the pressure per square inch times the area of the valve minus the force exerted by the spring 22 tending toopen the valve. As the actuating rod 15 is gradually turned (said action taking place when the working piston 5 is near its dead-point position), the crank 21 first-takes up the lost motion as indicated by the space 28, and thereafter engages the headiof the piston 19. This raises the valve from its seat and the fluid pressures on the valve pistons become balanced, then the sprin 22 suddenly moves the valve until the head of the piston 20 reengages the crank pin 21. From-this point on the stroke of the valve and the period of opening is under the control of said crank pin. The quick opening portion of the valve stroke is obviously determined by the clearance or lost motion 28. The means'for moving the actuating rod 15 of the valve will now be described. I

The upper end of the rod passes through a fixed guide 30 on the engine frame. To the guide and the rod is attached a torsion spring 31 that tends at all times to move the rod in the direction of the arrow. In

other words, tends to close the valve 18.

.' The upper end of the rod is provided with a head 32 which carries a roller 33 that is located on the stud lG, said stud forming an arm by means of which the. rod 15 can be rocked or oscillated. Mounted on the crosshead'member 10 I formation and surrounding it is a roller 35 which is also of.conical or wedge shape, the relative proportions being such that in its downward movement it will .impart the necessary rocking movement to the rod 15. The roller, which forms a cam, is provided with ball bearings 36 located at opposite ends so as to reduce the wear and hold the roller in proper alinement and permit the same to freely turn. In Fig. 3 the relation of the rollers 33 and 35 is clearly shown, said figure having been placed in line with the'corresponding parts of Fig. 2 to bring out'this feature. will 'be evident from the drawing, the stroke of the piston 5 and its cross-head is much greater than the length of the roller 35. mm this it follows that the needle valve is only opened just before the upper piston approaches its inner dead point or position where the cranks are nearly on dead center.

Referring to Fig 5, I have shown a slight is a pivot 34 of-conical modification of my invention wherein the In this case, however,.there is no lostmotion between the crank pin and the heads. Sintw it is important to have this lost motion if the best resiilts are to beattained, I provide the rod 15 with a coupling 37 and in this coupling, which comprises a tongued member that ffits into a grooved member, a certain amount of lost motion as indicated at 38. That'is to say, the slot or groove is made a little bit wider'than the tongue or projection that ,it enters. The action, in so far as thevalve is concerned,

is identical with the arrangement shown in the previous figures, theonly difference be ing that the lost-motion connection is trans ferred from a point inside to a point outside of the valve ca'sing.

The operation of my improved mechanism is as follows: As the upper piston and its cross-head descend and just before the deadpoint position is reached, the cam or roller 35 strikes the rollcr 33 .of the arm 16 and turns the rod 15 from right to left. This action causes the crank pin 21 to first take up the lost motion 28. Further motion in the same direction lifts the needle valve 011' its seat and the fluid pressures on opposite ends of the pistons 19 and 20 will be fully balanced. This permits the spring 22 to act and quickly move the head or piston 20 into contact with the crank pin 21 as shown in Fig. 2. This causes a quick movement of the valve away from its seat As soon as the been heretofore trapped in the chamber 25' is blown in the form of spray into the com bustion chamber throu h the nozzle 39 by compressed airfrom the conduit The admission of fuel continues as long as the needle valve remains open or until the cham ber 25 is emptied. As the cross-head 10 'moves upwardthe roller f 35 releases the roller 33 permitting the spring 31 to move the rod 15 in a. direction to close the valve 18.

In practice I find it desirable to so position the parts that the needle'valve is opened valve 18 opens the oil or other fuel that has just before the inner dead -center of the cranks is reached and held open until the cranks have made a considerable movement past said center. The point in opening the valve before the dead-center is reached is to make certain that the burning operation of the fuel will begin at least as early as the dead-center.

By utilizing a lostmotion connection between the crank pin 21 and the pistons 19 and 20 or such a connection in thc'coupliug 37 in the rod 15, the opening of thevalve 18 is retarded slightly as regards the effective action of the cam 35 and the cross-hcad member 10, but the closing movement of the valve coincides with the movement of the til'tl 33.

ily reason of my improved structure, 1'

tll })tll$0 with the cam shaftand its associated devices now generally employed in intcrnul combustion engines. My apparatus has the great advantage of reducing the masses of the parts that have to be rapidly moved. Particularly it has the advantage that the engine can be reversed by starting it in the opposite direction with compressed air in the usual manner Without making any change whatsoever in the relation of the fuel valve and its actuating mechanism.

I have shown two pistons working in the same cylinder, but unless so specified in the claims, my invention is not limited thereto. Instead of regulating the supply of fuel oil to the combustion space, the valve may be used for a gaseous or a mixed fuel medium, or it may admit air only to the cylinder for the purpose of starting. The spning operates satisfactorily in practice, but if (lesired air from the conduit 24 may be substituted therefor to move the valve.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,

1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, oppositely moving pistons mounted therein, a main crank shaft, a cross-head for one of the pistons, connecting rods uniting one of the pistons and also the cross-head with the crank shaft, a fuel admitting valve, and a means actuated by the cross-head for operating the valve.

.2. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, oppositely moving pistons mounted therein, a main crank shaft. a cross-head for one of the pistons, comiccting rods uniting one of the pistons and also the cross head with the crank shaft, :1 fuel admitting valve, an actuator for the valve. and a means carried by the cross-head which during the inner dcadposition portion of the piston strokes engages and moves said actuator.

1;. ln an internal combustion engine, the wanbiuation of a ovlindcr, oppositely moving piston mounted therein, a main crank lltli i. a ('i'oss-hcad for one of the pistons, connecting rods uniting one of the pistons and also the crow-howl with the crank shaft. a valve that admit-s fuel to the combustion spa e between he pistonan a tuator for the alc iocatt d at the side of the cylinder, and a: n ean carried by the cross-head which as it a proaches the inner dear: center po- -ition oi the cranks turns said actuator on itaxis and pens th valve.

l n an nitcinai wiml-tisiion engine, the coix-u naiiou of a cylmdcr, opposit ly moving pistons mounted therein, a main crank shaft. :1 Cl'ozts-littt l for one oi" the pistons, connectio rods uniting one of the pistons and also the cross-head with the crank shaft, a valve that admits fuel to the combustion space between the pistons, an actuator for the valve located at the side of the cylinder, a means carried by the cross-head whichasit approaches the inner dead center position of the cranks turns said actuator on its axis and opens the valve, and an elast.ic means for closing the valve when the actuator is released by said means.

5. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston therefor, a fuel admitting valve which is normally held on its seat, an actuating means for the valve that acts on it through lostmotion, a rotating body mounted on the actuating means, an operating device that reciprocates with the piston, and a cam moved by said device which acts on the rotating body carried by the valve actuating means.

6. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston therefor, a fuel admitting valve which is retarded in its'opening as compared to the beginning of the movement of its actuator, an actuator, a rolling body mounted on the actuator for turning it on its axis, a reciprocating mem her, and a cam that is moved bodily by the reciprocating member, said rolling body and cam engaging for a portion of the stroke of said member.

7. In an internal combustion engine, the Combination of a cylinder, a piston therefor, a fuel admitting valve, an actuator for the valve, an arm on the actuator for turning it on its axis, a roller carried by the arm, a reciprocating member actuated by the piston7 a wedge-shaped cam mounted on the member that engages the roller and turns the arm when the piston is near its inner dead-point position.

8. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston therefor, a fuel admitting valve, an actuator for the valve, an arm on the actuator for turning it on its axis, .a means that tends at all times to return the actuator to its initial .position, a reciprocating member that is driven by the piston, a rolling wedge-shaped cam carried by the member which for the major portion of the stroke of said member is idle but engages the roller when the piston near its inner dead-point position.

i. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder. :1 piston therefor, a fuel supply conduit. a conduit supplying gas under a pressure superior to the cour pression pressure of the engine to inject fuel into the cylinder. a reciprocating valve that controls the admission of both fuel and gas to the cylinder. an a tuator haviur. a crank that moves the valve through a lo t motion connection. a reciprocating mem wr moved by the piston for imparting oscillating movement to the actuator when the piston l is near its inner dead-point position. I means. 7

10* In an internal combustion engine the In witness whereof, I have hereunto set combination of a cylinde1', a piston therefor, my hand this fourth day of May, 1912.

a reciprocating fuel admitting valve, a rod, KARL STEINBECKER a crank-pin actuated by the rod, means for oscillating the rod for moving the Valve, and Vitnesses: a member which is moved by the piston and HENRY HAsPER, which when the latte reaches a predeter l \VOLDEMAR HAUPT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

mined portion of its stroke moves said 1 

